Allergies are not that common, only around 6% of children are likely to have them. It is more likely to be food intolerance.

If your child is having an allergic reaction, it will be because their immune system, having been alerted a previous time when eating the same food, releases antibodies to fight off what it sees as an attack.

Introduce new foods during the morning or early afternoon. This will enable you to deal with any adverse reactions when your pediatrician is in office. Should an adverse reaction occur during the morning/early afternoon, it will cause the least amount of disruption in baby’s fragile routine.

By the time a toddler reaches school age, food allergies have usually presented themselves. However, it can be important to remember that allergic reactions to foods served in a school setting are possible.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), about 25 percent of reactions in school-age children occurred at school, either in cafeterias, playgrounds or classrooms.

According to figures released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2011, based on the agency’s National Health Interview Survey, 4.5 percent of children younger than 18 years of age have a food allergy.

Studies show that allergy symptoms are worse at night between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. Taking allergy medicine at night before bedtime may help reduce morning allergy symptoms such as sneezing and nasal congestion.